DEPORTATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 13 November 1926, Page 10

DEPORTATION.

THE AUSTRALIAN WAY. A CEASELESS, QUIET FORCE. SYDNEY, Nov. 5. The statement of Mr Murr., Honorary Federal Minister, that people are sent from Australia because the authorities consider them dangerous and subversive of law and order, in fact that only a week or two ago he signed orders for the ejection of five men, has created interest in the subject of deportation (says the Sydney Morning Herald). The finding of the High Court fast year that the Commonwealth Government’s attempt to deport two union leaders was invalid created an impression that Australia possessed no machinery to send awav those who were thought undesirable. On the contrary, the Commonwealth has in its immigration laws considerate powers, which it uses every day. This is one of her ceaseless, quiet forces that comb the country of all manner of people who may he a charge upon it or a menace to its? laws. It is a huge and highly-officient scour, in which the officers of the Customs Department and the Minister oi Home and Territories are the principal pivots of operation. POLICE ACTION. The procedure for deportation or an individual commences with the po Ice, who, finding that a man comes within the law, hand him over to the Customs authorities. They present the facts to the Minister of Home and 'territories, and receive from him an order for the offender’s deportation or his release, which they effect. A host of people may be deported — and are. Anyone riot born in A list i alia, who, within three years of his arrival, has been convicted of a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment for one year or longer —even though he may have been released under the First Offenders Act, who lias become an inmate of a lunatic asylum or a charitab’e* institution, may be sent awav immediately, and many are so treated. Deseiters from ships —and most of these are Asiatics —are liable to six months’ imprisonment before they are handed over to the shipping company responsible for their introduction. Any immigrant who evades an officer, enters the-Commonwealth where no officer is stationed, or with forged or lalse credentials, or after admission is deemed to be undesirable, may be ejected by means' of the dictation tests, one of the Act’s 'ittle sardonic jokes. If be can speak and write every European language, from French to Czeeho-Slo-vakian. from German to Greek, he might be shifted by subjecting him to a test in Gaelic.

OF ANARCHY. Ail immigrant who, within three years of his arrival advocates the overthrow l»v force of the established Government of the Commonwealth, or of any State, or who preaches the abolition of organised rule, the assassination of officials, the lawless destruction of property, or is a member ol or affiliated with anv organisation upholding .such doctrines, is liable' to deportation, but. differently from all. other offenders, lie is tried l>v *\ special hoard. This, however, does not have any power to deal with native-born insurrectionists or those deemed to bo residents of the Commonwealth. A DRUG ADDICT. Only recently a drug addict \vas sent hack to New Zealand via the very eifective trap of the language test. Similarly the country may rid itself of people suffering from incurable diseases or people known +o he criminal. From New South Wales, it is interesting to notice, deportations are not very heavy. No one has ever been sent away under the insurrectionary clause, and' the number of criminals < jeered

is not high. Few white men are deported, and not more than five or six Asiatics —the most prolific offenders against the Act —are returned to tl.eir countries each month. Af IN ESTER ’ S DECISION. Very often, however, people ate de-tained-pending the Minister’s decision whether or not they shall be admitted. This section is designed to prevent the entry of peop'e who may become a barge upon the community. AYhei the Customs’ officers find that m old man, workless, professionless, and without means or friends likely to provide for him, is seeking entry, J hey detain him until the Minister i gnifies whether or not he shall he admitted. Most frequently he is sent back to liis country at the expense of the shipping company, which is required to see tluit its passengers comply with the conditions of entry. The fact that a man has no money does not, however, prejudice his- immigration if one of his countrymen promises to provide him with work or to keep him. There is nothing harder on earth than to enter Australia without a passport and stay, as the steady outflow of detected stowaways and prohibited immigrants testifies. And the task of keeping Australia white and reasonably free from undesirables involves a and complex machinery, which is never at rest.